Sheikh Hasina shows rare humanity

26th March, 2020 12:31:15

Ailing 74-year-old opposition BNP chief Khaleda Zia was back at her home after staying in jail for only about two years of her 18-year prison term for graft, thanks to the “very big” humanitarian gesture of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The prime minister used a provision for the first time in Bangladesh’s 49-year-old history to free her main political opponent of over three decades proving that she is indeed the “Mother of Humanity.”

Stephen Hawkings, the late famed English physicist, cosmetologist and author once said “we are very, very small, but we are profoundly capable of very, very big things.”

The gesture of the premier is one such “big thing” at a time when the world is fighting a bug named corona and Bangladesh is dealing its own situation arising out of the pandemic with her directives.

Sheikh Hasina has earlier also shown her humanity at work in a number of cases with Khaleda Zia, with one was when she went to opponents home to share the pain and sorrow of a mother after losing a son.

The other example, which the world praised, is ofcourse saving the lives of lakhs of Rohingyas from Myanamar who fled to Bangladesh to save their lives from persecution.

The prime minister responded to an appeal from Khaleda’s family who accepted two conditions for her release for six months from her hospital prison as per legal requirements.

Never before the legal option to free any convict had been used in the country’s history and the premier had the choice and power not accept it because Khaleda’s opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) pushed repeatedly for bail, even refusing to seek presidential pardon.

The opposition politician and also a former premier had refused to accept proper treatment in hospital and all the usual legal measures as her party leaders stopped short of showing her the right and decent path to be free.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is known for standing by the suffering or needy people, but political gurus said this was indeed a great humanitarian gesture and at the right time.

She has set a new and welcome example of treating a sick person first as a human being and then as a political opponent, who was not kind to the premier in many instances.

This example is expected to have great impact on Bangladesh’s murky politics and replace the old with one of respect, amity and peaceful coexistance.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is two-years younger than Khaleda Zia, but grew up as a politician by working with her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and carries the teachings of the Father of the Nation.

Bangbandhu’s humanity too had no bound.

One small example. Bangabandhu, on learning how the 1971 war women were being harassed, he quickly declared that he was their “legal father” and 32 Dhanmondi was the “permanent address” of her newly adopted daughters across the country.

A perfect example of “Like father, Like daughter.”

Leo Tolstoy wrote “The sole meaning of Life is to serve humanity.” Which is the perfect reflection of the life of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.